Fan and fan housing with toothed-type connecting elements

ABSTRACT

A fan of the present invention includes a fan housing and an impeller disposed in the fan housing. The fan housing includes a plurality of connecting elements at its air outlet. Each connecting element includes a plurality of air-guiding teeth thereon, which can guide the air to flow smoothly out from the fan housing so as to increase airflow and air pressure, and reduce the noise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a fan and fan housing with an air-guiding function, and in particular, to a fan and a fan housing with a connecting element having a plurality of air-guiding teeth for enhancing heat dissipation efficiency.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a fan housing of a conventional axial-flow fan comprises ribs or stator blades at its air outlet. FIG. 1 shows a fan housing 1, composing a frame 10, a base 11 disposed in the frame 10, and a plurality of ribs 12 disposed between the base 11 and the frame 10. The ribs 12 are just to connect the base 11 and the frame 10 without any improvement in heat dissipation of the fan. FIG. 2 shows a fan housing, comprising a frame 10, a base 11 disposed in the frame 10, and a plurality of stator blades 13 connected with the frame 10 and the base 11. The stator blades 13 are utilized not only for connection, but also for guiding the air when the air passes through the air outlet of the housing. However, when blades rotate in the fan housing with the stator blades, unfavorable turbulence occurs at the air outlet of the fan housing and a stagnation zone is accordingly formed at the air outlet, and thus, heat dissipation effect decreases. To solve this problem, the stator blades have to be moved toward the inside of the fan housing, which usually reduces and affects the rotating space of the blades, and causes unfavorable results for miniature fan.

Thus, a fan housing with tooth-type connecting elements of the present invention is provided to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fan and fan housing with tooth-typed connecting elements are provided. The fan comprises a plurality of connecting elements at the air outlet of the fan housing, and each connecting element comprises a plurality of air-guiding teeth. Thus, the air passing through the connecting elements can be smoothly guided out of the fan to prevent the occurrence of the stagnation zone.

Specifically, the fan comprises a fan housing and an impeller. The fan housing comprises a frame, a base disposed in the frame, and a plurality of connecting elements disposed between the frame and the base. A plurality of air-guiding teeth are formed on at least one edge of the connecting elements, so that the air passing though the connecting elements can be smoothly guided out of the fan to prevent the turbulence and the occurrence of the stagnation zone, and thus increase the air pressure and air flow and reduce the noise. Accordingly, the connecting elements need not be moved toward the inside of the fan housing and the size of the fan housing can be minimized.

Particularly, the connecting elements can be ribs or stator blades, and the air-guiding teeth can be formed on a leading edge of the connecting element, which faces the inside of the fan housing, or formed on a trailing edge of the connecting element, which faces the exterior of the housing. Furthermore, the air-guiding teeth can be formed on both the leading and trailing edges.

Additionally, the shape of the air-guiding teeth is not limited, which can be rectangular, square, arched, circular, canine, saw-like and etc.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a 3-D schematic view of a conventional axial-flow fan with ribs;

FIG. 2 is a 3-D schematic view of a conventional axial-flow fan with stator blades;

FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic view of an embodiment of a fan of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a 3-D assembled view of the fan in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a 3-D schematic view of the fan housing in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of an embodiment of the connecting element;

FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating air pressure versus air flow of the conventional fan and the fan of the embodiment;

FIG. 8A is a schematic view of the air-guiding teeth in the shape of canine teeth on the leading edge of the connecting element;

FIG. 8B is a schematic view of the air-guiding teeth in the shape of arched teeth on the leading edge of the connecting element;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the air-guiding teeth in the shape of rectangular teeth on the trailing edge of the connecting element;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the air-guiding teeth in the shape of arched teeth at two edges of the connecting element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a fan comprises a fan housing 3 and an impeller 2 disposed in the fan housing 2. The impeller 2 comprises a hub 21 and a plurality of blades 23 disposed around the hub 21. Referring to FIG. 5, the fan housing 3 comprises a substantially rectangular frame 30; a circular base 31 disposed in the frame 30, and a plurality of connecting elements 32 disposed between the frame 30 and the circular base 31. The connecting elements 32 are stator blades, each of which comprises a leading edge 321 facing the impeller 2 and a trailing edge 323 facing the exterior of the frame 30.

Each connecting element 32 comprises a plurality of air-guiding teeth 33. The air-guiding teeth 33 are arranged along the leading edge 321 of the connecting element 32, so that the leading edge 321 is not a smooth curve, as shown in FIG. 6. The side view of the depth and width of the air-guiding teeth depend on the size of the fan and operational conditions. In this embodiment, the air-guiding teeth 33 formed on the connecting element 32 are with equivalent intervals; and the base 31, the frame 30, the connecting elements 32, and the air-guiding teeth are integrally formed by injection molding.

When the impeller 2 rotates to produce the airflow, the airflow can flow out smoothly along the connecting elements 32. Furthermore, the air-guiding teeth 33 of the connecting elements 32 can guide the airflow efficiently flow out of the fan housing 3 and reduce the turbulence and the stagnation zone near the air outlet of the frame 30. Accordingly, the air pressure and the airflow can be increased effectively and noise can be reduced. FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating air pressure versus air flow of a conventional fan and an embodiment of the fan of the invention under 3800 RPM. As shown in FIG. 7, the airflow and the air pressure of the fan with air-guiding teeth 33 are relatively increased. The maximum air flow is increased by approximately 50% and the maximum air pressure is increased by approximately 35%. Furthermore, the tone value of noise is reduced by approximately 50%, that is, noise is reduced greatly. Additionally, the connecting elements 32 do not need to move toward the inside of the fan; thus, the size of the fan housing can be minimized.

The shape of the air-guiding teeth 33 is not limited to the rectangular teeth, but can also be canine teeth (as shown in FIG. 8A), arched teeth (as shown in FIG. 8B), circular teeth, saw teeth, square teeth and etc., or combination thereof.

Although the air-guiding teeth 33 are formed on the leading edge 321 of the connecting element 32, the air-guiding teeth 33 can be formed on the trailing edge 323 of the connecting element 32, as shown in FIG. 9. Additionally, the plurality of air-guiding teeth 33 can be formed at both the leading edge 321 and the trailing edge 323 of the connecting element 32, as shown in FIG. 10. The shape and the position of the air-guiding teeth are not limited, and the air-guiding teeth 33 formed on the leading edge 321 and the trailing edge 323 can be symmetrical, non-symmetrical, or staggered.

Note that the connecting elements further can be ribs as shown in the related art. The air-guiding teeth can be formed toward the exterior of the fan housing, or toward the interior of the fan housing, or toward both.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. 

1. A fan housing comprising: a frame; a base disposed in the frame; and a plurality of connecting elements disposed between the frame and the base, wherein at least one of the connecting elements has a plurality of air-guiding teeth thereon.
 2. The fan housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting elements are stator blades or ribs.
 3. The fan housing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air-guiding teeth are formed on an edge of the connecting element, which faces the interior of the frame.
 4. The fan housing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air-guiding teeth are formed on an edge of the connecting element, which faces the exterior of the frame.
 5. The fan housing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air-guiding teeth are formed on two edges of the connecting element, the two edges respectively facing the interior and the exterior of the frame.
 6. The fan housing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the air-guiding teeth formed on the two edges of the connecting element are symmetrical or staggered to each other.
 7. The fan housing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the side view of the air-guiding teeth are rectangular teeth, square teeth, arched teeth, circular teeth, saw teeth, canine teeth, or the combination thereof.
 8. The fan housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air-guiding teeth formed on the connecting element are arranged at equivalent intervals.
 9. The fan housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shapes and sizes of the air-guiding teeth are the same.
 10. A fan comprising: a fan housing comprising: a frame; a base disposed in the frame; and a plurality of connecting elements disposed between the frame and the base, each connecting element comprising a plurality of air-guiding teeth; and an impeller disposed in the fan housing and supported by the base.
 11. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the impeller comprises a hub and a plurality of blades disposed around the hub.
 12. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein connecting elements are stator blades or ribs.
 13. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the air-guiding teeth are formed on an edge of the connecting element, which faces the interior of the frame.
 14. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the air-guiding teeth are formed on an edge of the connecting element, which face the exterior of the frame.
 15. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the air-guiding teeth are formed on two edges of the connecting element, the two edges respectively facing the interior and the exterior of the frame.
 16. The fan as claimed in claim 15, wherein the air-guiding teeth formed on the two edges of the connecting element are symmetrical or staggered to each other.
 17. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the side view of the air-guiding teeth are rectangular teeth, square teeth, arched teeth, circular teeth, saw teeth, canine teeth or the combination thereof.
 18. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the air-guiding teeth formed on the connecting element are arranged with equivalent intervals.
 19. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the shapes and sizes of the air-guiding teeth are the same.
 20. The fan as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base, the frame, the connecting elements, and the air-guiding teeth are integrally formed by injection molding. 